Top Shelf Partners

2024 Keynotes

John Feneck

Feneck Consulting

John began his career in 1992 as an equity analyst on the Merrill Lynch global allocation fund (MALOX). From 1993-2019, John was a senior executive for Mutual Fund and ETF providers, spending most of his career at Merrill Lynch Funds (now Blackrock) and JP Morgan Chase Funds. He was ranked #1 in both gross and net sales once at Merrill Lynch and three times at JP Morgan Chase (out of 40 senior executives.)  He has contributed articles to Kitco since 2017 and was asked to be a regular contributor to Kitco in June of 2021. Kitco is the world's leading source of information about metals and mining over the past 40+ years, and has over 620,000 followers. John has made multiple appearances on Kitco as a featured guest, has been the keynote speaker at over 250 client seminars and webinars and has been a speaker at 12 global commodities events.
 
He was a member of the precious metals PM team at Sprott in 2017 and has developed a compelling track record (see performance tab) based on a proprietary methodology, which combines technical analysis with public information gathered from direct interaction with senior management of commodities companies. He believes that building a diversified portfolio of 25 to 50 exceptional resource stocks is critical to success. The commodities sector is the most volatile of all sectors, so John's "go anywhere" approach allows him greater flexibility than the average PM, who is many times constrained by prospectus language such as holding 5% or less in any one stock, focusing on tax-efficiency at the potential expense of total return, being 80% invested at all times, etc.
 
In September 2019, John started Feneck Consulting Group, LLC, based on demand from commodity companies, especially those in the metals and mining sector. The enterprise also works with HNW Financial Advisors and clients, educating them about the opportunities and risks in the financial markets and, specifically, in the commodities markets. To learn more about John's background, please visit his LinkedIn profile.  He has passed the series 7, series 63, CMFC and CIMA level one, but is not a licensed advisor, RIA or CPA at present, as he is focusing more of his efforts on consulting.
 
John lives in Scottsdale, AZ and is a single Dad to an amazing 11 year old daughter that is his best friend. On the weekends, he is a professional musician and enjoys performing and writing music, along with playing sports and traveling.

Don Durrett

Founder, www.goldstockdata.com

Don Durrett has an MBA and worked in IT-related positions for 25 years, retiring in 2019 to focus on his website. He has been a gold investor since 1991, with a focus on Junior Mining stocks since 2004. Realizing the value of investing in gold and silver and noticing the lack of available stock information for investors, Don set out to provide information. First, he wrote a book, How to Invest in Gold & Silver: A Complete Guide with a Focus on Mining Stocks. (available on Amazon.com). This was followed by a website (www.goldstockdata.com) to provide data, tools, and analysis for gold and silver stock investors. His gold and silver mining stock newsletter is regarded as one of the best. He is a frequent guest on financial podcasts and a contributor to SeekingAlpha.com. He also posts frequently on X (Twitter) using the handle @dondurrett, and at Substack.com (dondurrett.substack.com).

Andy Schectman

Miles Franklin

Andrew “Andy” Schectman has been a prominent figure in the financial services industry for 35 years and is the President and Owner of Miles Franklin, a company that specializes in precious metals. Before founding Miles Franklin Ltd. in 1989, Andy became a Licensed Financial Planner, focusing on Swiss Franc Investments and alternative investments. Under his expertise and leadership, Miles Franklin has surpassed $10 billion in sales and is recognized for maintaining trust, collaboration, and ethical behavior, along with providing superior customer service and satisfaction to better serve their clients. 
 
Andy views precious metals not just as investments, but more as forms of immutable wealth that have stood the test of time, surviving through major global crises such as two world wars, German hyperinflation, and the great depression. He believes in accumulating wealth not to become wealthy but because gold and silver are wealth, highlighting the significance of passing on this legacy to future generations​​.
 
Andy also shares insights on the changing global financial landscape, discussing topics like the BRICS, and the petrodollar and the increasing importance of gold and silver as recognized by central banks and the strategic movements of countries and alliances that could potentially impact the future global dominance of the dollar.

Peter O’Rourke 

TCI Partners / NAVR

Peter O’Rourke is an accomplished leader with over 27 years of diverse experience across federal government roles, the critical minerals sector, and Veteran advocacy. His extensive background uniquely positions him to offer valuable insights into the intersection of commodities, national security, and supply chain management. As a senior U.S. government appointee, Mr O’Rourke served as Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and VA Chief of Staff. He was instrumental in the passage of the landmark VA MISSION Act, stood up the VA Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection, and was integral to the modernization of the VA’s electronic health record system, demonstrating his strategic vision and leadership acumen.

Mr. O’Rourke has held pivotal roles in the private sector, focusing on executive leadership, operations, market strategy, M&A, communications, and government relations. He formerly served as the President of U.S. Operations for Western Magnesium Corporation, a disruptive materials technology company, and as an advisor for M2I, an emerging U.S. domestic critical minerals and metals group. His work with organizations such as Accenture, Blackland Group, and Calibre Systems underscores his diverse skill set and commitment to driving innovation and efficiency.

Mr. O’Rourke’s military background further enriches his expertise. With eight years as a U.S. Air Force Logistician and Supply Chain professional, coupled with his experience as a Navy enlisted plane captain and Air Force officer, he deeply understands supply chain management and national security. His Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification adds to his credentials, emphasizing his ability to optimize operations and enhance efficiency.

He is a managing partner of TCI Partners and currently serves as President of the National Association for Veteran Rights (NAVR) as he continues to champion Veteran advocacy, reflecting his dedication to serving those who have served our nation. His unique blend of experience in critical minerals, federal government roles, and Veteran advocacy makes him a sought-after speaker and thought leader, especially on topics related to securing critical minerals for national defense and economic security in today’s rapidly evolving global landscape.

Christopher Blasi

Neptune Global Holdings LLC

Christopher Blasi is Founder and CEO of Neptune Global Holdings LLC (DBA Neptune-GBX®) and co-managing member of Neptune-GBX Advisors™.  While leading Neptune Global since its inception in 2003, Chris has differentiated the firm by developing and bringing to market multiple innovative and proprietary investment product and services, including the patented PMC Ounce® and Neptune Vault Accounts®.
 
The firm’s innovative investment platform and suite of client centric services has attracted both US and international investors. Chris continues to grow the firm through expanding  distribution channels, ongoing development and implementation of innovative technologies, and thru dynamic strategic partnerships.  Today, Neptune Global offers individual investors, wealth managers, institutional investors, and family offices the most dynamic, flexible and efficient platform for precious metals investing.  As a recognized expert in the precious metals and financial markets, Chris has contributed to publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Investor's Business Daily, Barron’s, MarketWatch, TheStreet.com, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, and CNBC.
 
Prior to founding Neptune Global, Chris’ professional experience included roles with a major broker dealer and boutique merchant banking firm. In addition to his  work in the financial markets, Chris has extensive experience in the technology industry, specifically within the financial services sector.

Steve “Slim” Miller

Founder, www.askslim.com

With a remarkable 50-year career in stock, futures, and options trading, Steve “Slim” Miller is a seasoned professional and a pioneer in “Cyclical Analysis” of financial markets. He became a member of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) in May 1974 and later joined the Chicago Board of Trade (CBoT) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (IOM).

Slim has also managed a hedge fund and is a respected coach and mentor in the trading community. He hosted the “ASK SLM” show on Tastytrade and is the Founder and President of askSlim.com, Inc., a dynamic platform offering education and analysis for traders and investors. Slim remains an active trader, analyst, and hosts the "Market Week" show every Friday. 

[email protected]
Website www.askslim.com
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/askslim
Twitter: Follow me @askslim

Major General (Ret) Alberto C. Rosende

M2i Global Corporation

Maj. Gen. (Ret) Alberto “Al” Rosende isthe President and CEO for M2i Global Corporation. He has been with the organization since March 2023.

Maj. Gen. (Ret) Alberto Rosende is a results-focused and transformational senior leader. He has over 37 years of command and operational experience in the Army, and 30 years of experience in the global payments industry, where he worked for two of the largest global payment brands, consulting directly with client banks and payment processors in the Latin America and Caribbean Region.

Al’s military career spanned four decades and served in command and staff assignments at every level through Division and at the Component level, including troop command and training command assignments, as well as combat tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq. His final assignment was as the 63d Readiness Division Commanding General, responsible for facilities, human resources support, and general maintenance and storage of equipment in a seven-state region of the Southwest United States, from Arkansas to California. Al received numerous awards and decorations throughout his career, including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star Medal.

His civilian career includes over 30 years of experience in management and consulting in the electronic payments industry. He worked at Visa, Inc., based in Miami, Florida, for over 20 years, where he supported financial institutions in the Latin America and Caribbean Region. His expertise is in fraud prevention and risk management, in both the card issuer and merchant acceptance businesses. Prior to joining Visa, he worked at American Express for over 7 years where he managed operational units in credit, in-house and outside agency collections, and performed consulting engagements focused on card and acquirer portfolio risk performance reviews.

Al holds a B.S. Degree in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University, an M.S. degree in National Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School of National Resource Strategy at the National Defense University, and an M.A. in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University.

Shawn Khunkhun

CEO, Dolly Varden Silver

Mr. Khunkhun has over 20 years of experience in the capital markets, mineral exploration and development sector with a focus on enhancing shareholder value. He has served in a variety of strategic roles including Investor Relations, Corporate Development, CEO, Director and Executive Chairman. Mr. Khunkhun has been instrumental in creating awareness for undervalued companies including grass root explorers, developers and producers. Mr. Khunkhun’ s experience in incubating and growing early-stage companies through capital raises, acquisitions, joint ventures and spinouts, as well as long-standing relationships with an extensive global network of HNW investors, private equity and institutional investors, analysts, brokers, and investment bankers, have been a valuable asset to growing mineral explorations companies. Mr. Khunkhun is a Director of Goldshore Resources Inc. and is Director & Exec. Chairman of StrikePoint Gold. Mr. Khunkhun has facilitated over $1B in capital raises.

Rachel Goldman, CDI.D

Paramount Gold Nevada

Since early 2020, Ms. Rachel Goldman has served as CEO and director of Paramount Gold Nevada. Prior to joining Paramount, Ms. Goldman spent 20 years in capital markets with Canadian based boutique and bank owned firms, and most recently as Managing Director Institutional Equity Sales for Desjardins Securities. Over those years she developed strong working relationships with institutional investors throughout Canada, the US and the UK, and helped to connect numerous public companies to key investment decision makers and improve their market profile. Ms. Goldman holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a Major in Finance from Concordia University and serves as an independent director of Red Pine Exploration (TSXV: RPX), and the Denver Gold Group.

Wayne Heili

Peninsula Energy Limited

Wayne Heili is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Peninsula Energy Limited, an Australian Stock Exchange listed company that is focused on innovations that will drive successful low-cost production of uranium at its flagship Lance Project in Wyoming. Wayne has committed his 35-year professional career to the U.S. uranium recovery industry. He has held various process engineering, management and executive positions at companies pursuing both ISR and conventional uranium production. Mr. Heili holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering with a minerals processing emphasis from Michigan Technological University.

Ari Sussman

Collective Mining Inc.

Having dedicated the majority of his career to the natural resources industry, Ari Sussman currently serves as Executive Chairman of the Board of Collective Mining Inc., a mineral exploration company focused on acquiring and developing mining projects in Colombia. From 2010 until March of 2020, Mr. Sussman was the Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Continental Gold Inc. Under Mr. Sussman's leadership, the Company raised almost $1 billion and discovered more than 11 million ounces of high-grade gold and silver at the Buriticá project in Antioquia, Colombia. After completing construction of the mine in early 2020, the Company was sold to Zijin Mining, one of the world's largest diversified mining companies, for total consideration of approximately C$2 billion. Today, the world-class Buriticá mine is the most modern and largest operating gold mine in Colombia with annual production of more than 250,000 ounces of gold. Mr. Sussman was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and is married with three children.

Serafino Iacono

Denarius Metals

Serafino Iacono is a successful mine builder with over thirty years of experience in capital markets and public companies, having raised more than $5 billion for numerous natural resource projects internationally. He joined the Board of Denarius Metals in November 2020 and has served as Executive Chairman and CEO since April 2021. He was formerly a director of Aris Mining (previously GCM Mining) and a director and CEO of NG Energy Corp. Mr. Iacono was a founder and the former Executive Chairman of GCM Mining Corp. His extensive experience includes numerous resource and business ventures in Latin America, Europe, Canada and the United States.

Richard J. Mazur P. Geo., MBA

President, CEO & Director, Forum Energy Metals

Mr. Richard Mazur is a corporate executive and geoscientist with over 40 years of Canadian and international experience in the exploration and mining industry as a project geologist, financial analyst and senior executive on uranium, gold, diamonds, base metals, and industrial minerals projects. Mr. Mazur founded Forum in 2004. He is also a Director of Big Ridge Gold Corp., Impact Silver Corp., and Midnight Sun Mining Corp.

Mr. Mazur graduated with a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Toronto in 1975 and obtained an MBA from Queen’s University in 1985.

Michael Williams

Founder, Aftermath Silver

Executive Chairman & Director with Over 20 years of experience as a senior executive within the mining industry. Experienced in the structuring, administrating and marketing of Toronto Stock Exchange listed companies. Executive Chairman of numerous public companies including Underworld Resources Ltd, which was sold to Kinross Gold Corp for $138,000,000. Developed an international banking and financing network that includes extensive contacts with both institutional and retail investors. Raised significant capital funds for advanced exploration and development projects. Currently serves as a Founder and Executive Chairman of Aftermath Silver.

2024 Participating Companies